Shakin Thunder makes noise in Whoop Up Downs Maturity
FORT WORTH, Texas—The Whoop Up Downs Maturity was won handily by Shakin Thunder in
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, burning up the track with a 19.75 second run
earning a 101 speed index. The $5,763 stakes race for horses aged three and up
is contested over a 400-yard distance. Shakin Thunder beat the field by a full
length.
Shakin Thunder is a 3-year-old sorrel overo gelding by Habitual Flyer and out of Lotta
Shakin. Bred and owned by Rance Savage of Worden, Mont., William Leech trained
the gelding and Neville Stephenson rode him in the race. He earned $3,055 for
the win, to make his lifetime earnings $20,337. Shakin Thunder also won the
Yellowstone Downs Paint and Appaloosa Derby in September.
Finishing second was Runaway With Me Eh, a 3-year-old brown solid Paint-bred
mare by Dos Poruno and out of Snoqualmie Pass AQHA. Bred by Douglas and Robin
Nachtigal of Davenport, Wash., Runaway With Me Eh is owned by Bob McCutcheon of
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Trained by William Leech and ridden by Nate Smith,
the mare ran a time of 19.91 seconds, earning $1,498 to make her lifetime
earnings $6,064 for five starts.
Third across the wire was Flaming Lake, a 5-year-old bay solid Paint-bred
gelding sired by Granite Lake AQHA and out of Flaming Gamble, by Raise The
Gamble AQHA. He is owned by Lorne and Joann Winther of Huxley, Alberta, Canada.
The gelding was bred by A. D. Burris of Keota, Okla. Les Webb trained the
gelding for the race, and Dwight Lewis was the jockey. The horse earned $692,
making his lifetime earnings $26,554.
Other horses completing the race, along with times, include Independent Woman
(20.09 seconds), Dash Poruno (20.12 seconds), Pemberton (20.28 seconds) and
Cristole (20.68 seconds). Keep Cashin Me In was scratched.
More about Paint Horse racing
Horse racing has long been one of America’s favorite spectator sports. With the
recent growth of the Paint Horse breed, it’s no wonder that Paints have become
one of the hottest tickets in the horse racing industry.
Since 1966, when APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made
major strides forward. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in
just two states—Texas and Oklahoma. In 2010, more than 500 starters competed in
429 APHA-recognized races for record purses totaling more than $4.1 million.
A total of 17 states now feature Paint racing, including Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint
Horses also race in Canada.
For more information on Paint Horse racing, contact APHA’s racing department at
(817) 222-6444, email racing@apha.com, or
visit www.paintracing.com.